Yayoy now Carcar resident, Pe in south

CEBU, Philippines - Two third-term Cebu City councilors have officially transferred residency, one to Carcar City and the other to Cebu City South District.

This was made formal in the last Aug. 22 hearing of the Commission on Elections.

Comelec-Carcar City officer Gallardo Escobar Jr. confirmed that incumbent Cebu City Councilor Raul “Yayoy” Alcoseba’s application to transfer his residency to Carcar City was approved without a hitch. Alcoseba had already expressed his intention to run as Provincial Board member in the first district.

“It was approved during our last hearing. Wa ma’y opposition. So now he is officially a resident of Carcar,” said Escobar.

Comelec-Cebu City South officer Edwin Cadungog also said that Councilor Augustus “Jun” Pe’s application to transfer to the south district was also approved, following no complaints.

Pe, however, said he and Alcoseba have not resigned from their posts at the Cebu City Council. Alcoseba is currently serving his last term for the Cebu City’s south district while Pe is also on his third term serving the north district.

Pe wants to be reelected as councilor, but this time in the south.

Cadungog said it is the public official’s prerogative to register in another area as long as his duties and responsibilities to where he was elected, are not hampered.

He also said they have no existing rules at the Comelec that requires a transferring official to resign from his incumbent post, which is one of the “loopholes” of the Election Code.

But he said if and when a formal complaint is filed questioning the said public official’s continued service, then “that’s the only time mosulod ang interpretation sa balaud.”

Cadungog said that even if the filing of the Certificates of Candidacy is on Oct. 1 to 5 yet, anyone can already file their complaints questioning the status of a transferring public official.

“But on the part sa public official, di mawala iyang pagka-bona fide resident, wa sad gi-require sa balaud nga mo-resign. Iya ng volition to transfer. But kinahanglan unta once nga mo-serve siya sa laing jurisdiction kumpleto sa tanan requirements,” he said. — (FREEMAN)